You were all AMAZING yesterday in how you welcomed Linda Baylis. I know first hand that she was blessed beyond measure. I’ve got two more beautiful ladies to introduce you too!
Meet Jennifer Armstrong from Yochum, Texas!
If you haven’t seen Jennifer’s video entry, enjoy!
Jennifer is a strong force of goodness and determination. She and her husband downsized to a small two room home in the middle of Yochum, TX. Together, they gutted the place and have turned it into one of the coziest homes I’ve ever visited. To make something that is beautiful, warm, inviting and most of all puts you at ease the moment you walk in the front door—when this something was nothing before—that takes amazing strength, determination and vision. And this is only a couple of the things I admire in Jennifer. I’m so excited for you to get to know her a little more too. Watch for her SOAR! posts on Wednesdays on the upcoming SOAR! blog.
Beginning Thoughts, by Jennifer Armstrong
I still have their empty Dr. Pepper bottles sitting on the table.
That is teeter-tottering on freakishly weird. I am well aware. But Y’ALL, the bottles from which they drank are proof that Me Ra was at our home with Brian to tell me some of the most fantastic things I have ever heard. I have done nothing but float through the past few days; pinching does not help, ergo, Dr. Pepper.
I was looking at Me Ra’s beautiful, accomplished face against the backdrop of the Texas sky. Such a contrast. Certainly not that Texas or our little town are not beautiful, nor places of accomplishment. Just that I was seeing two different worlds. As if, my right eye saw one world (my home), my left eye saw another (this amazing woman who has been to places I’ve never been), and no matter how I focused, I couldn’t make the two worlds match. I was completely, utterly, stunned as she stood before me, pink box in hand. Every part of my brain shut down except the exhilarated, dancing, joyful places.
And now? A few days after the announcement? Other parts of my brain are starting to wake up. My children have seen to that. 
I am starting to be able to form intelligible sentences. And that helps, especially at the pharmacy. But the best part that has woken up is the part that remembers some of the hard, not-so-exciting things that have happened in the past year or two or three. I am deeply grateful for the hard, not-so-exciting things. I genuinely am. I love Jesus and those things have brought me closer to Him in every way. His love, in the hard parts of life, is the sweetest, most beautiful resting place. And His love in the good times? Well, I’ve got to be honest…this is just darn fun! He is using this to show me another facet of His love.
We all have a story. We are all working on something. Or lots of somethings, ahem. And while my news is wonderful, it has not always been and won’t always be. But that’s what makes life beautiful and isn’t “life” what makes pictures beautiful? We’re captivated by photos because they’re real. Like the Dr. Pepper bottles, they are proof that we really experienced the emotions we remember, be they good or bad. I am thrilled that I am going to be learning how to better record those pictures through this SOAR! experience.
So let’s talk about SOAR! First of all, how in the world do I write on the SOAR! page on twitter??!! And why can’t I figure it out? I have been trying to say hi and thank you to all of you but I am having some serious twitter challenges. Maybe twitter tutorials will be part of the scholarship? Mercy! 
But really, I have so many emotions right now. Sometimes my stomach is just in knots, sometimes I feel ready to conquer the world, and lots of the time, I feel small. Not a bad small, but the kind of small you feel when you look up at the stars (in small town in Texas-with no city light in competition). I have so much to learn and am so anxious to begin! My brain is running with questions…Will the companies who’ve given so many things feel like I am worthy? When I share my thoughts on this blog, will I sound silly? What will I name my business? Will I ever not have a child in diapers? Wait…diapers…what?!
I also ache for the sadness that you might be feeling. Y’all if there is one thing I can say and you believe, it’s this. As I write, people are reading who did not get to experience this amazing gift. And there is disappointment. Please know, these emotions are not lost on me. Not one inch of them. A great deal of my shock in winning stems from the fact that I watched your videos. I have seen what amazing women entered. In fact, after my first run at making my video, I told my mother-in-law basically, “I give up. There are just too many great videos.” That’s why I cannot say enough (nor loudly enough, nor sufficiently enough, nor deeply enough, nor…) that I have unutterable gratitude for what has just happened, for many reasons, but also because it happened in the company of such talented, capable women. And I will not take this position lightly. I am humbled to be doing this with you. I am scared. I am moved. I am loving this. And I am thankful. Oh am I thankful.
And I want to say one last thing in front of everyone. It’s to Me Ra and Brian. While we met for only one short part of a morning, your genuine love of others is evident. You are not just words on a blog, you are love in action. You are reinvesting all that you’ve been given. What an amazing team. What an amazing gift.
Alright SOAR! sistahs. We have lots of work ahead. I need to learn about, well, everything. I am so looking forward to it. Let’s do this y’all!
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Jennifer, thank you for just being YOU in this first blog post. I know it was scary, but your personality and goodness shined through. And your honesty is so dear to all of us.
Will you help me welcome your Texan SOAR! Sistah Recipient, Jennifer Armstrong!
Congrats to you Jennifer! I am eager to SOAR with you.
Hey girl…I am so excited for you and so proud of you!!! You have proved that you have everything so together, so in order. You will teach the rest of us so much – can not wait!!!
Love ya,
Lori
Congratulations Jennifer! The cutest part of the video of you getting your gift was the little pace you did behind Me Ra while she was talking to you kids. I knew you were thinking “I can’t believe this!” I noticed it because I would have done the same thing!! Loved your video. Your kids were so cute!
Congratulations Jennifer! I am looking forward to reading your blog posts, and am so happy to spend some time surrounded by your sweetness and kindness each week. I am born and raised in California, but I lived in Texas for one year, the year my first son was born. I love looking at your photos because they bring back such wonderful memories for me of that magical time.
Congratulations dear Jennifer – you have always soared since you were a young child. Your dedication to a goal, your seeking help to achieve it, your will to pursue as well as your tenacity to do the right thing and help others achieve their goals while achieving your own are just a few of the qualities that have helped you be a winner all of your life.
We are all so proud of you and for you. You go girl! There is no limit to your achievements and no goal too big. We will always be there cheering you on. Love, Mom and Jacques
love ya video and all the stuff it means to you but love the outtake too – your little girl was great
Amazing! Congrats and I’m excited to see your progress!
Loved every word you wrote (and I would have written yesterday but I was too sick – better now) and cracked up! You’re so Texan and southern, sweet and revealing. It helps also that I’ve had Texan in-laws too and can hear them thru you.
I’m looking forward to hearing your voice, watching your journey. I now understand better the concept of the responsibility of being chosen through what you’ve said. Thank you.
Congratulations Jennifer! See y’all soon!
Congrats Jennifer! I’ve never met you and I LOVE you!
What you have said about Brian & MeRa is the absolute truth. I am glad you captured that about them in the little time you got to spend with them! I LOVE the end of your video when your daughter falls off the bench and says “I’m ok”! It’s priceless. To all the women that did not win the scholarship, we fall, we pick ourselves back up, brush ourselves off and say “I’m OK” and begin again!!
We look forward to following you through this process this year! Congratulations!
Congratulations Jennifer. I hope the year brings you all you wish for.
Congratulations, Jennifer! I’m excited to see what the year holds for you.
Jennifer,
Oh SO HAPPY for you and so excited that all our worlds have come together…all of us no matter where we are on this journey and regardless of geography! This is such an amazing opportunity for all of us. How many times can we all enter together and feel like we all won together too?! We will be learning a lot with you and from you, not confined to photography. I feel such peace and wisdom in everything you do and say! I hang on every word, stopping frequently to ponder further…I love that about you!!!
I also want to say the same thing I said to Linda,
”
“Although you feel a tremendous responsibility to help us, please remember that we are all here to help you too. All of our journeys will be a little different, as they should. However, you still have a community of girls here who understand and honor your dreams. We also share the expectation of highs and lows on the road to learning, growth, and creating a whole new life for ourselves. So proud of you! So happy for you! Have fun
Jennifer, I prayed that God would influence the choice to those who need it the most and to those who could do the most at this time in his hands. I believe he has done so.
This weekend we just found out that a “beat up old shack” in the middle of the AZ desert that we have been following for 9 months has just been re listed after foreclosure, at 60,000 less than six months ago. This is going to be your year to build your photo dream and my year to rip out nasty old siding and I feel just as blessed. I have never owned my own home.
You have already inspired me, kick it and have fun. I will keep you in my prayers!! Could you pray for the sub-floor in my bathroom?
Love and Peace,
Becca #192
Congratulations, Jennifer! Am so pleased for you. I look forward to watching you SOAR!
What a treat to get to know YOU this weekend in the “Igniting the Flame of Feminine Power and Big Fun” with Fay Freed and Karen Buckley at our home in Novato, CA. What a shining, delightful, engaging woman you are. You’re not only articulate, creative, and joyous to be around, you’re amazingly polite “Yes, ma’am.” My your journey this year unfold in magical and wonderous ways! I’m honored to have been a small part of it. With love, Teri
Congrats!!!